WiFi Wants to be Free

Do you have the right to set up a free WiFi node if someone nearby is trying to sell the service? That's the novel question presented by a dispute between the operators of Logan Airport and Continental Airlines over the perk offered in their frequent flyer lounge.

The Massachusetts Port Authority receives a sizeable paycheck from a company that sells WiFi in the airport for $7.95/day, so they've attempted to stop the airline, citing terms of their lease. Now the airline has invoked obscure FCC rules originally intended to give apartment dwellers the right to put satellite dishes on their balconies. MassPort contends the regs don't apply to indoor hotspots. As the FCC attempts to resolve the issue, you're invited to share your two cents with the regulators.